Garment-hanger.



J. ALTERMATT.

GARMENT HANGER.

APPLICATION rn-nn OCT. 3, 190s.

Patentea m m, 1910.

JOHN F. ALTERMATT, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

GARMENT-HANGER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 31, 1910.

Application filed October 3, 1908. Serial No. 456,012.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN F. ALTERMATT, a citizen of the United States, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented new and useful Improvements in Garment-Hangers, of which the following is a specification, reference being had to the drawings forming a part thereof.

The purpose of this invention is to provide an improved garment hanger adapted to be collapsed for compactness in storage to adapt it especially for the use of travelers.

It consists of the features of construction shown and described as indicated in the claims.

In the drawings :Figure l is a side elevation of the device extended in form for use. Fig. 2 is a similar view showing it collapsed. Fig. 3 is a detail view, partly sectional, on a larger scale than the preceding views, of a suspending stem and the ends of the braces pivoted thereto, section being made axially at such pivoting. Fig. 4 is a top plan view of the bridge piece.

This device comprises a bridge piece, A, and two stretchers, B, B, pivoted at opposite ends of the bridge piece and connected by brace links, 0, C, pivoted to the stretchers, respectively, and to each other at their ends remote from the stretchers and to the supporting stem, D, which terminates at the upper end in a hook for suspending the device, thence extends down through the bridge piece and at its lower end is pivotally connected to the two braces at their pivot to each other. For the purpose of collapsing this device, this pivotal connection of the stem to the braces is disengageable, and such disengageability is obtained by pivoting the two brace links together by an eyelet or hollow pivot, E, through whose axial aperture and oflset terminal, D of the stem, D, is inserted for connecting it at said pivot to both braces. To prevent it from being accidentally disconnected at this point when in use for supporting a garment, a retaining catch is provided which is preferably in the form of a fork, F, having a sleeved stem, F by which it is mounted slidably on the supporting stem, D. When this fork is slid down so that its prongs stride the end of the oifset, D which protrudes through the hollow pivot, E, it will be seen that the two pivot ends of the brace bars are engaged between the stem, D, and said fork so that the stem cannot be moved laterally to withdraw its ofiset end, D from the pivot eyelet, E. Preferably the stem, D, is provided with a stop formed by an offset bend, D below the bridge piece to limit the upward movement of the stem through said bridge piece, and thereby to limit the spread of the stretchers which, it will be seen, are lifted at their outer ends by pulling up the stem or by the descent of the bridge piece on the stem which the weight of the garment, in so far as it operates directly on the bridge piece, tends to cause. It will be observed, however, that the weight of the garment upon the outer ends of the stretchers tending to fold them downward at the outer ends about their pivot to the bridge piece tends to crowd the bridge piece upward on the stem, D, since the weight is ultimately supported by the stem at its pivotal connection with the brace links. And to prevent such downward swinging of the outer end of the stretchers when the garment is of such form that the whole weight is carried outside of said pivot of said stretchers to the bridge piece, it is necessary to provide also a stop on the stem above the bridge piece, and this is afiorded by the lower shoulder of the hook terminal, D which is provided for suspending the device. Preferably, the stem, D, slides tightly through the bridge piece so that the weight of the garment will not cause it to be moved there-along, but not so tightly but that it can be moved by the user when desired for adjusting the device to cause the stretchers to have the desired slope to fit the form of the garment, as a coat or skirt which may be hung thereon. For insuring a suitably tight fit of the stem in the bridge piece, it may be slit by a saw-cut, a, longitudinally of the bridge piece, axially with respect to the vertical aperture through which the stem extends, and a screw, G, may be employed to take up the slack afforded by the saw cut and clamp the stem.

I claim 1. A garment hanger comprising a bridge piece; stretchers pivoted to the opposite ends of the bridge piece; brace links pivotally connected to the stretchers respectively, and an aXially-apertured pivot connecting them together, and a supporting stem for the bridge piece extended therebelow and having an offset at the lower end for disengageably engaging in the aperture of said pivot.

2. A garment hanger comprising abridge piece; stretchers pivoted to the opposite ends of the bridge piece; brace links pivotally connected to the stretchers respectively; an axially apertured pivot connecting them together; a supporting stem for the bridge piece extended therebelow and having an offset at the lower end for disengageably engaging in the aperture of said pivot,

and a fork mounted slidably on the stem adapted to engage the ofis'et of the latter when inserted through said apertured pivot.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand, in the presence of tWo Witnesses, at Chicago, Illinois, this 30th day of September, 1908.

JOHN F. ALTERMATT,

In the presence ofvCHAS. S. BURTON,

J. S. ABBOTT. 

